


not that i'd walk in line

by kimaracretak



Series: the glory and the scum [3]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Alternate Universe, Epistolary, Established Relationship, F/F, background conspiracies, some questionable medical ethics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-28 18:04:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10836516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimaracretak/pseuds/kimaracretak
Summary: TheEnterprisesickbay is a marvel, Beverly, you've done great things with it — well, except for where you're storing the scalpels, and your system for backing up encyclopedia PADDs, and the colour of the couch in your office ...Kate, remember where I told you you could put those scalpels the first day we met? That's still true, and I'm sure Nurse Ogawa will agree with me.Or; On long-distance relationships and possible espionage





	not that i'd walk in line

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shinebrightlikeanimon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinebrightlikeanimon/gifts).



> title from delain, 'danse macabre'
> 
> WELP i'd written half of this before i actually pulled up pulaski's memory alpha page and realised that my memory of beverly taking over her job at starfleet medical had been _completely wrong_ but, uh, the benefit of AUs, i guess
> 
> covers, roughly, season 2 up to 'q who'

Bev,  
I'm sorry we didn't have more time together last week; I had forgotten how much more complicated the transition to a shipboard assignment was. And of course the Admiralty was eager for us to get back to the Neutral Zone. Are you settling in okay? Is M'Raaq keeping the administrative staff in line for you? He'll be a wonderful help; just ... be careful of any cakes he may offer you.

The _Enterprise_  sickbay is a marvel, you've done great things with it — well, except for where you're storing the scalpels, and your system for backing up encyclopedia PADDs, and the colour of the couch in your office ...

(I'm kidding. But, seriously, I'm moving the scalpels.)

I think your nurses might have a betting pool going on how long until you get tired of Earth and manage a transfer back. Or maybe it's about how long until I get tired of a starship and leave. I'm tempted to join, though I do have a bit of an unfair advantage.

Be careful with the Admiralty. Some of the rumours I've been hearing about the Romulans almost made me glad I left.

I'll see you ... well. 'Soon' is optimistic. I'll see you.  
Kate.

 

**

 

Kate,  
Remember where I told you you could put those scalpels the first day we met? That's still true, and I'm _sure_  Nurse Ogawa will agree with me.

Clearly the _Enterprise_  hasn't been keeping you busy enough if you found time to use two semicolons. M'Raaq has been a dear, though I'm not sure how even Bolians are able to digest his cooking.

I have a budget meeting in ten minutes or this would be longer but, hey, we've made it work this long, right? Don't pretend like the background of your personal PADD wasn't an (admittedly very stylised) picture of me for months.

Love you.  
Bev

 

**

 

Bev;

;;;;;;;;;

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

;;;;;;;

Yes; I will make this up to you the next time we manage to schedule a video call; as if you did not guess that yet;

(Our dear Alyssa; by the way; agrees with whoever has most recently praised her gluten-free tonkatsu;)

;;;;;;;;

Love;

Kate

 

**

 

Quick question, why have we as a species not banned holodecks yet? Or perhaps simply banned Lieutenant Commander Data and Lieutenant LaForge from working on holodeck protocols together. I know you'll get all the official reports eventually, but please read the attached and explain to me why a set of photons with delusions of grandeur should be able to try to murder me in a simulated London.

 

**

 

Quick question for _you_ , love, did you really expect anything other than laughter for me? Though, come to think of it, I do have several ideas for getting you out of that dress ... something to think of when we do get that video call, perhaps.

 

**

 

Kate, you were right. About everything, yes, I know, but specifically about the Admiralty. I just got out of an emergency budget meeting now that the politicians have decided they've had enough time to read the reports from the Neutral Zone outposts and the meeting with Toreth. Some of the things they said about the xenobio programmes, and the sort of research they want us to prioritise ... well. And did you see the editor's note in the proof copies of the _Journal of Interplanetary Medical Relations_  that was going around? Not that the JIMR has ever been liberal, but that was just ...

Anyway. I'm not sure it's useful to dwell on, not when I'm still not quite sure how much I can do from here. I'm not sure if this is going to affect you, but at least I can promise you that Jean-Luc will back you up (and if he won't, tell him he can answer to me).

Something's coming, don't you think? I wonder if we'll know in time.

Love,  
Bev

(P.S. I did not forget our anniversary. Open the attachment -- if your tech-avoidant self can bear it ;))

 

**

 

Bev,  
Sorry for the encryption on something you've figured out by now aren't medical records. But I need your advice on something, and if it's nothing then I don't want anyone else involved. But ... how closely did you work with Counselor Troi?

Look, I was going to say your last message seemed paranoid even by my standards, but there's something about her ... the work she does, or doesn't do. She's nothing like any counselor I've ever worked with before, and she's taking the change in relations with the Romulans more strangely than a diplomatic officer should. I'm starting to wonder if I should be worried _for_  her or _about_  her. I didn't expect friendship with everyone on the ship, but she's _different._

I'm sorry, I must sound ridiculous, but it's not to early to be jumping at shadows, I don't think.

Love,  
Kate

 

**

 

Kate, you know I trust you implicitly but ... really? Deanna's a colleague and a friend, and, hell, I've watched her face down a Q. You can talk to Lieutenant Yar, I suppose, they're quite close but ... maybe talk to Deanna too? Bev.

 

**

 

Dear Kate,  
I'm sorry, that last message was harsh — I don't know if you've been ignoring me for two weeks on purpose (I deserve it) or if something happened (please be safe, I would think we would have heard by now but ... well, it's the _Enterprise_ ). Either way, I haven't been able to stop thinking about what you said, about Deanna and ...

Look, there were some things she and Lieutenant Yar asked me to keep out of the official medical reports, the second time we met Q. I didn't mind, at the time, Q seemed to have mostly affected brain chemistry and neurobiological processes and we were busy with the methane explosion on Quadra Sigma III, so by the time things had settled down they mostly seemed irrelevant. I've spent a lot of time these past weeks trying to sort out the ethics of sending them, and if it was anyone but you, for anyone but her, about anything other than the Q ...

Anyway, they're attached — think about our third vacation and the encryption should be easy enough. I skimmed them yesterday and nothing jumped out at me, but if there's really something wrong with her, that wonderful, beautiful brain of yours will find it. But for god's sake, don't tell anyone else.

I love you. Be careful.  
Bev

 

**

 

Beverly — can you get to Starbase 173 while the _Enterprise_  is there next week (~stardate 42523.7, ftl communication has been as unreliable as the transporters recently)? We should talk in person. — Kate

 

**

 

Kate, that's the kind of capitalisation that makes me nervous, especially when there's no way I can make it in time (research, an article, and ... you know, if you'd warned me about the amount of paperwork, I might not have taken this job). Is it about Deanna? She seemed fine last time I talked to her.

I'll pull some strings and see if we can talk face-to-face on a secure channel, if not in person. Medical confidentiality gets us a lot of things, after all.

Love,  
Bev

 

**

 

It's not ... it's not _only_  about her. It's about her, and Lieutenant Yar, and this Q creature, and some of the readings from the remains of the Neutral Zone, and ...

\-- ERR: CORRUPTED DATA --

....Okay. Time loops, even those that only seem to last for six hours, can really do a number on draft files, even when backups exist.

Point being: yes, please call me securely as soon as you can.

Take care (in every way),  
Kate

 

**

 

Kate,

Some follow-up documentation from our last conversation about what we're temporarily calling the Dagon Problem. I owe some favours now, but it's worth it. We'll figure this out.

Bev

 

\-- SYSERROR: RECEIVING COMM OUT OF RANGE. ATTEMPT TO SEND ANYWAY? Y/N --

...

\-- Y/N --

...

\-- Y --

 

**

 

Bev,  
Your message was waiting when Q sent us back to Federation space. We'll be back on Earth for a full report soon, but in the meantime, I need everything you have on Romulan cybernetic research.  
Kate.

 

\-- WARNING: MESSAGES WITH KEYWORDS 'ROMULAN' AND 'RESEARCH' SUBJECT TO SEARCH BY STARFLEET AUTHORITIES. SEND ANYWAY? Y/N --

...

\-- Y/N --

...

\-- SYSERROR: TIMEOUT --


End file.
